Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PRAGUE509
2007-05-11 07:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Prague
Cable title:
CZECHS TORN ON ISSUE OF COUNTRY-SPECIFIC SPECIAL
how-toVZCZCXRO2064 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHPG #0509 1310740 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 110740Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9020 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0093 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0201
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000509
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
EUR/NCE, DRL/MLGA FOR LAURA JORDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL EUN EZ
SUBJECT: CZECHS TORN ON ISSUE OF COUNTRY-SPECIFIC SPECIAL
RAPPORTEURS
REF: STATE 60672
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mike Dodman
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000509
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
EUR/NCE, DRL/MLGA FOR LAURA JORDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL EUN EZ
SUBJECT: CZECHS TORN ON ISSUE OF COUNTRY-SPECIFIC SPECIAL
RAPPORTEURS
REF: STATE 60672
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mike Dodman
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) MFA Human Rights Department official Jan Kaminek
informed POLOFF on May 9 that the Czech government has not
yet decided how it will vote on the issue of UNHRC
country-specific mandates for Cuba and Belarus. Kaminek said
the decision will be made by Foreign Minister Karel
Schwarzenberg next week.
2. (C/NF) Kaminek explained the difficult choice facing the
Czechs: the upcoming vote is for a package of reforms. To
vote for the package is to (1) join the consensus of 45
countries, and (2) adopt much-needed reforms for the UNHRC,
reforms on which the Czechs have worked diligently over the
past year. The price for consensus and reform, however, is
the elimination of the country-specific mandates for Cuba and
Belarus. To vote against the reform package is to essentially
destroy the UNHRC.
3. (C/NF) Kaminek said these mandates, while important, are
only symbols. They have no teeth. Special rapporteurs cannot
enter either Cuba or Belarus, and their recommendations carry
no weight. With a heavy heart, Kaminek informed POLOFF that
the Human Rights Department will therefore recommend voting
for the package. In the view of the HR Department, the
importance of symbols is far outweighed by the importance of
the reforms (which, he pointed out, have special procedures
that do/do have teeth, such as the Universal Periodic Review
and the Complaint Mechanism). He could not guess what FM
Schwarzenberg's final decision will be on the issue.
GRABER
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
EUR/NCE, DRL/MLGA FOR LAURA JORDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL EUN EZ
SUBJECT: CZECHS TORN ON ISSUE OF COUNTRY-SPECIFIC SPECIAL
RAPPORTEURS
REF: STATE 60672
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mike Dodman
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) MFA Human Rights Department official Jan Kaminek
informed POLOFF on May 9 that the Czech government has not
yet decided how it will vote on the issue of UNHRC
country-specific mandates for Cuba and Belarus. Kaminek said
the decision will be made by Foreign Minister Karel
Schwarzenberg next week.
2. (C/NF) Kaminek explained the difficult choice facing the
Czechs: the upcoming vote is for a package of reforms. To
vote for the package is to (1) join the consensus of 45
countries, and (2) adopt much-needed reforms for the UNHRC,
reforms on which the Czechs have worked diligently over the
past year. The price for consensus and reform, however, is
the elimination of the country-specific mandates for Cuba and
Belarus. To vote against the reform package is to essentially
destroy the UNHRC.
3. (C/NF) Kaminek said these mandates, while important, are
only symbols. They have no teeth. Special rapporteurs cannot
enter either Cuba or Belarus, and their recommendations carry
no weight. With a heavy heart, Kaminek informed POLOFF that
the Human Rights Department will therefore recommend voting
for the package. In the view of the HR Department, the
importance of symbols is far outweighed by the importance of
the reforms (which, he pointed out, have special procedures
that do/do have teeth, such as the Universal Periodic Review
and the Complaint Mechanism). He could not guess what FM
Schwarzenberg's final decision will be on the issue.
GRABER